Robert Downey Jr. has confirmed that he will be returning to the Marvel franchise to play Dr Doom, one of its biggest villains, in the forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
The actor shocked fans at the San Diego Comic-Con Hall H panel by removing a mask among a group of hooded figures wearing masks of the comic book villain.
“I like playing complicated characters,” he said as fans started chanting his name. “New mask, same task.”
Downey Jr had previously been part of the franchise as Iron Man, starting in 2008 with the titular film. He starred in 10 other movies before exiting after 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
The Russo brothers will also be making a return to Marvel to direct …Doomsday. A release date has not yet been confirmed.
Here's the exact moment when Robert Downey Jr. announced his #Marvel return for AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY: pic.twitter.com/XpE3Ie399D
— MCU – The Direct (@MCU_Direct) July 28, 2024
“When we directed Avengers: Endgame, Joe and I truly believed that it was the end of the road for us in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” Russo told fans at the event.
“In the time since, through a very special story, Joe and I have come to potentially see a road forward with you.”
The news follows the release of Marvel’s latest film Deadpool & Wolverine in cinemas this week. It was co-written by Ryan Reynolds, who reprises his role as the regenerative antihero, alongside Hugh Jackman as the mutant X-Men figure.
Deadpool & Wolverine will see both characters finally integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it serves as the latest entry in Phase Five of the saga, following on from November’s The Marvels.
Studio boss Kevin Feige also recently gave an update on the much-delayed Blade reboot which is slated to come to cinemas in 2025.
In an interview with BlackTree TV to promote Deadpool & Wolverine, which is out on Friday (July 26), the film producer was asked if the release of the film – the first R-rated [quivalent to a 15 in the UK] film from the studio – changes how they can approach Blade when the previous instalments had been R-rated as well.
“I think that’s right,” Feige replied. “I mean, for the last two years as we’ve been trying to crack that movie, the most important thing for us is not rushing it and making sure we are making the right Blade movie.”
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